Here in Kiru
by It's Vee
Summary: Their lives play out, and she's around to watch, or wind up in them. [Post season 3] [Most chapters updated, chapter seven deleted for continuity issues]
1. Secrets

I've been in this box for hours. I'm inside one of the Barracks' bedrooms, trying to get a scan of Attacat. I have one already but the stats are weak – they won't help me in a Codemaster battle. Which I only have until tomorrow to scrounge up whatever I can for. My friend says Attacat's my ace in the hole. Usually I wouldn't take her advice, but I'm desperate. So now I'm here, sitting in a box in what's hopefully Attacat's room.

I point my scanner at my feet and spot my box of doughnuts in the light. I brought some food along with me in case I needed something to eat. I'm really thankful that I did. I reach into the box and pinch a powdered one. I bring it into my mouth and take a bite into it, then put it back. My face is probably a mess now. I sigh as I slide down the wall of the box – this is starting to kill me.

I flip my scanner over and look at the screen. I scroll through some features and look at my contacts list in search of people to text message. I see one of my friends online, and after looking through the rest of my contacts, I learn he's the only one on. He's one of my creepier friends, but he'll do. I take a breath as I move my finger over his icon. But as I'm just about to click it, he goes offline. Great.

"Damn," I curse to myself quietly. He's on every other time, except the one time I actually want to message him.

I hear voices out in the hallway. I listen to it and hope it's who I think it is. It grows louder and I hear their footsteps outside. I use my head and crack the box open, just enough for me to see.

Two creatures enter. I can't see their faces, but I can identify them through the parts of their body I can see. The first is Attacat, with his black body, green loincloth, and golden chest band thing. The second person is Aivenna, with her pinkish skin and ivory armor. I find it odd that she's in a place like this. Normally she's in the Forest of Life with Drabe and company, but I guess she comes here sometimes. They file in and Aivenna shuts the door behind them. She folds her arms and sighs.

"That was close," she tells Attacat.

"Too close, all thanks to me," the panther adds on. Even though I have no clue about what's going on, I'm drawn in by their conversation already. Too close? If this is mischief-based, then Aivenna must have changed since the last time I saw her.

"Don't blame yourself like that. We didn't have any control over the situation. Though looking back at it, maybe I should have knocked out Arbeid when I had him on his knees."

Attacat walks out of sight. I'd move, but I'm worried I'll make a sound loud enough for them to hear me. And my breathing is enough noise. Plus, with those ears, Attacat probably hears a lot. But I can tell where he is through hearing. The sounds of blankets and springs tell me he's on one of the bunk beds.

"No, it was completely my fault. I shouldn't have suggested to sneak into the restricted section in the first place."

Aivenna walks over to Attacat and vanishes out of sight too. I simply decide on slowly closing the box by lowering myself. The thing's so thin I can still hear people well through it – some other creature came in here earlier and talked to himself the whole time and I heard him loud and clear.

"Well neither of us thought they'd be cleaning out the shelves tonight," Aivenna says.

"Maybe," Attacat responds.

"Look, I know things don't look very bright right now. But trust me, it will. Drabe once told me that negative thinking only leads to worse. I follow that advice and it's helped me get through the most saddest of times. Like after I met my sister..."

"Don't you hate her?"

"Well, I don't hate her anymore. We settled our differences during the battle of the Deep Mines. But even in those times where I was so fumed, there were also moments where I felt depressed. It may not have seemed like it, but I was just as torn as I was enraged after that day."

"I understand, your family."

The room falls silent. I rear my head against the wall of the box and wait for something to happen, like them getting up and leaving or something, I don't know. I'm so close to getting the scan I desire – all I need to do now is get Attacat when he's not looking. But with Aivenna, who I didn't think would be here because I thought Attacat was a loner, it will be tougher. I wait some more and begin hearing something outside again. It sounds like sniffling.

"Are you?" Attacat asks.

"I'm sorry, it just happens sometimes when I think about it all. Don't worry though, I'm fine," Aivenna assures him.

"Hold on, let me find you something to wipe your face with."

"Yeah, because I can't use my hands."

I hear Attacat get up and walk around the room. And that's when I curse again. If he's looking for something, there's a good chance he'll search the very box I'm hiding in – I didn't see much other furniture you can store things in when I got here. If he catches me, I'm screwed. I slowly grab my scanner and put my finger on the button, ready to port if he opens it. I'll have to leave the doughnuts behind sadly if I want to make a quick exit – while closing the box, I kind of migrated away from them. And like I said, I'm not taking any chances with making too much noise.

I bite at my lip a bit as I listen to the cat's footsteps. He opens a drawer, then closes it. He walks closer to me and I guess he searches the bunk beds for anything useful. And then he approaches the box. I hear him grab the lid and I ready myself for porting. I hear the lid open and watch what little light that's in here shine in.

"Hold on, I found something in my pack," she tells Attacat. He lets go of the box and rejoins her on the bed. That was way too close. I could feel the cool air seep into the box when he opened it. He must have had it wide open, but had his eyes on Aivenna. If that was the case, then I have the best luck a Chaotic player could ask for. I sigh as I hear Attacat doing the same.

"This isn't what I had in mind when we first..." he confesses, stopping.

"I know," Aivenna agrees. The room goes dead again and I worry if they heard me or something. I put my finger on top of the port button again and wait to see what happens. I wonder what's going on, but then I hear certain sounds. My eyes widen as a theory enters my mind.

Even though peeking's not a bright idea, I take the risk. Instead of using my head, I use my finger and crack the box open. When I look out, I'm shocked at what I see. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I see Aivenna and Attacat locking lips. I close the box and place my hand over my face. My jaw lies open from disbelief – Attacat and Aivenna are in love.

"I wish we didn't have to keep this a secret," Aivenna whispers to him.

"Me neither. But we can't take chances, not when someone could see us together. Like Maxxor," Attacat explains.

"Has there ever been a couple like us in the ranks? A couple in love and..."

"I've never heard of it."

"We could be the first."

"I'm aware of that."

"And even if we're caught, perhaps Maxxor would let it slip?"

"I don't want to take chances. Especially in dark times like these."

"I understand."

"Until we know for sure it's safe, our love remains a secret."

"But how long will we have to keep it a secret?"

"I guess only time will tell."

Someone knocks on the door and the two gasp. I hear someone calling Attacat's name outside and recognize its owner by its gruffness. It's Arias, that ram guy with the nose ring.

"Attacat, are you in there?" he asks. Attacat hops off the bed.

"Yes, just needed to rest a little," he replies.

"Well get your tail up, we need you in the courtyard. Some Chaotic players are vandalizing the place and we need to round them up!" the ram orders.

"I'll be out in a minute!" Attacat promises.

"Well hurry it up!"

Arias runs off, probably to reach the scene himself. Whatever is going down in the courtyard must be pretty serious.

"Shall we talk about this later?" Attacat asks.

"Yes, how about tomorrow night in the storage caches?" Aivenna suggests.

"That will do. Now get out of here before someone sees you!"

I hear the two run out the door and close it behind them. I remember why I'm here, but after learning about the OverWorlders' secret, I really don't care anymore. I mean, those two together? I didn't think it'd ever happen. Though that might be the fanfics talking. And then there's the part about whether they'd get in trouble for it. I think we have a similar policy back on Earth – I haven't brushed up on my military knowledge in forever, but I think I recall reading about this kind of stuff being banned there.

I open the box and stand up. I step out and reach back inside for my doughnuts, which I then slip into my backpack for later. I dust myself off, clean my face off with my sleeve, and check my scanner again. It's still displaying my contacts list and someone's online. It's a friend of mine who I know would love to hear this. I press his icon for a call. When he answers, he says something, but I cut him off.

"Yeah, I know this might not be the best time, but I just found out something you'll never believe," I tell him.

"Oh really?" he says skeptically. "What could it be?"

"I'll explain how I discovered this later, but... Attacat and Aivenna are in love," I tell him. I can tell he's surprised.

"You can't be serious," he tells me.

"I am," I state as I exhale.


	2. Furor

Using my scanner as a light, I navigate through the dark arsenal. Normally I wouldn't go here, but I'm in need of some fresh weaponry – earlier today I traded some scans with some boy and I give him scans I regretted handing over. Luckily most of them came from here. I arrived in the dead of Perimian night, when the arsenal's locked up.

I keep it down as I sneak around. So far I've checked two shelves and a couple cracked crates, finding one item on my list. I start sweeping the third shelf and scan the rows. Most of the supplies on the top are crates. Everything in the middle's mixed. The bottom one's jam-packed with swords and tridents and other weapons until it goes empty halfway through. Must need space for later. The other two rows are still filled and I continue searching them.

I reach the end and find nothing I'm looking for. My hands plop on my hips. Looking back, I recall collecting most of the weapons I'm looking for a while ago, back when I wasn't exactly new, but still had some learning to do. And that's when I realize something – I might have come here for nothing. The arsenal's supplies aren't moved anywhere usually. But weapons have vanished from here before. And the warriors are morons, they've probably gone through a lot of weapons once I think about it. I sigh heavily and pop a swear. "Great."

I lean against the shelf and stare up at the ceiling. Lost of cracks in it. I just stand there for a few, following the paths etched across the stone. I stop for a moment to check my scanner for messages –I have a couple from my brother. But I know what those say already. I finish up and face the ceiling again.

I stop gazing at the cracks and look forward as I hear something. It's faint but I can make it out – voices. They grow louder and I can pick out two people talking. Sounds like they're arguing. I crane around the shelf and spot a door a few shelves down. It's a newer door they added during a renovation. What lies beyond it, I don't know. I spot a hint of light creeping under the door as the voices get louder. I stand there and listen to the muffled arguing. After hearing them for a minute, they found familiar. One of them is higher and the other is deep. The higher one especially sounds like I've heard it before.

The light under the door's blocked off by them. They keep talking and it sounds like they're right outside. My eyes glue to the doorknob as I wait for them to enter, I know they will any second now. And sure, they do. One of them turns the knob and opens it slightly, but stops. I hear the deeper-voiced creature scold the other one.

I hide behind the shelf and wait for them to enter. Sure I'm acquainted with a lot of creatures in Kiru, but that doesn't get me a pass for trespassing. I hear their footsteps and their now clear voices.

"That does not give you a reason to touch the equipment!" the higher voice says. It's Bodal, the OverWorlder who logs everything that comes in here. I hear the deeper pitched creature growl as the footsteps migrate away from me.

"What part of 'she was going to kill him' don't you get?" he roars. I've heard his voice before, but I can't remember it's owner. The footsteps cease and there's a pause.

"Were you listening when I explained how unstable those beams are? Of what can happen if there's even a small error? Of how much damage it can cause?" Bodal asks the creature loudly.

"Well what I supposed to do, just let her kill him?"

"You could have done something different!"

"Everything else would have gotten their attention!"

"From what I've heard, I highly doubt that would happen."

I hear someone open the door that they entered through. "Bodal?" the person asks in a familiar voice. It's Tom Majors, the boy who always helps out the OverWorlders. He's the only person I know who spends more time here than I do. He's also one of the older players, probably wrapping up his Senior year at the least. I peek around the shelf and I see him. He has a worried look on his face.

"What is it?" Bodal snaps. "Can't you see I'm trying to talk with somebody right now?"

"Maxxor sent me," Tom says. The room goes quiet again.

I hear Bodal exhale. "What does he need?"

"He didn't say. He just asked me to get you," Tom answered. I hear Bodal exhale

"We'll deal with this another time. For now, just stay away from the arsenal," he commands the other creature. I watch him appear from behind the furthest shelf and walk past Tom. Tom closes the door behind him. I hear them begin chatting as they leave.

I expect to hear the other creature's steps again, but I don't. Instead, I hear his breathing. It rises until it becomes a growl. It morphs into a roar as I hear him punch one of the shelves. I watch it sway back and forth and think it will topple over and knock the others down. My eyes widen as I fear that will happen. But it stops shaking and settles down. I hear the creature stomp off toward the door leading outside.

I jog over to the door and hide behind the shelf again. I peek out and watch the creature approach the door. He's a bulkier creature, a bear with an eye patch. I remember where I've seen him from now. A few weeks ago me and my older brother, Adam, attended a festival in the city. We ate these really sugary things one of stands was handing out and practically got a sugar rush from them. We started playing tag through the streets until Adam tagged me and ran for it – well, tried to run for it – and bumped into the bear. When Adam crashed into him, he got his drink all over his pants. The bear started yelling at him, and he would have broken Adam's ribs if I didn't step in and apologize for him. He just left after that.

He clenches his fists as his head lowers. Whatever happened must have been pretty ugly, the part where someone almost killed what I guess was one of his comrades and that he had to use a weapon he wasn't allowed near to save him. He must have been close with the guy if it left him stressed like this. The creatures in the OverWorld, despite what others think, are mostly asses worried for their own lives, unless they're that strong of friends with someone. That doesn't happen very often though, especially here in Kiru.

He opens the door and exits through it, but doesn't close it behind him. Instead, he pushes it as he leaves.

: )

"Well that was a waste of time," I tell myself as I close the arsenal door behind me. Just as I feared, the scan quest was a bust. I only found one other item on my list, and lucky me, it was the least useful thing on there. Hopefully I'll have luck searching elsewhere. After all, it's not like the arsenal's the only place people get their arms around here. I don't feel like searching now, though. I turn right and tuck my hands in my pockets, my right one still gripping my scanner.

Walking through the alley, I recall what happened earlier with the bear and Bodal. I feel bad for the bear, honestly. I haven't gone through what he did, nor have I ever gone through anything like that. But I know it's agonizing. I imagine where he could be right now. Maybe he's arguing with Bodal again – or maybe they already did and he flipped out on him? Maybe he's with that friend of his who almost got killed, or whatever happened to him – if he's still alive. Or maybe's he just laying in bed, thinking?

I turn as I exit the alley and raise my head. I spot someone in the shadows of the building, sitting next to the wall. It's the bear. Well speak of the devil. I'm tempted to pass by him and see the look on his face, even though that would probably provoke him. And I'd probably feel like an ass for making him angry at such a bad time.

I turn around and proceed to leave the other way. But then I stop as I see what lies ahead – a dead-end. I could have sworn there was a path here. I sigh, I really don't feel like going near that guy. I pull out my scanner, finding it better to just port. I'm done for today anyway.

As I move my finger onto the button, I hear faint sobbing. I stop and look up – sure enough, the bear looks like he's crying. A side of me kicks in – the side that wants to give him a handkerchief and help him out. I battle with myself over it – should I or should I not? If I approach him in a manner like that, maybe he won't go berserk. Or maybe he will? I stand here, eyes on the sniffling creature, as I try to decide – split or try to help? My grip on my scanner tightens as I try to make up mind. But I'm trapped in a stalemate on either choice. I continue watching the bear let it out and it doesn't help.

Looking over it, I feel I shouldn't bother him. I remember a couple of times when I was a newbie and I tried to lend a hand to creatures in a hairy situation; it didn't end well, to be short. I already feel a hint of regret as I still hear him sniffling and I watch myself put my finger on the port button. My eyes shut as I take a deep breath, knowing part of me will scorn me for this for like the next few weeks. I click it and I feel myself become enveloped in code. As I port away, I let out a small "sorry" to the bear.

Maybe I can ask him what happened when he isn't like this?


	3. Smildon

I open my eyes and find myself staring at a ceiling. Something's burning nearby – I can see it, and hear it. I prop myself up with my elbows. I look down and find my pants bemired in dirt and mud. My shirt's stained with it, too...

I'm not wearing my jacket anymore – the thing I normally wear around Kiru, especially around this time of year (or whatever they use to tell time in years) when the nights grow longer and the air colder. I remember wearing it earlier before I somehow ended up here. What happened before that, however, I can't remember. I must have blacked out.

I shift myself over the side of what I realize I'm laying on is a mat used for sleeping with a few pillows thrown on top. I look around the room, which is pretty much bare except for my bed, a torch hung upon the wall, what's also keeping this place lit, and a table with a couple chairs in the corner. Sitting at the table is somebody in a blue robe, his back turned against me. He has his hood up and I can see him writing something.

I know who this person is though. I get on my feet and walk over to him. He hears my footsteps and he turns around, revealing his white tiger face. It's Vidav, one of the few creatures around here I can truly consider a friend. Back when I was still learning about Kiru, I nearly got coded by some guards because I wound up in a restricted area, which I don't blame myself for because they should have had a warning sign up or posted someone there to inform people about that. Before the guards could open fire, Vidav stepped in and saved me. He told them he'd take care of me and they left without a question. He's actually a Riverland inhabitant, but he's been in the city for some long project.

Vidav introduced himself to me, I explained I was new, and he was generous enough to give me a tour of Kiru and some hidden passages. Thanks to him I've been able to squeeze myself out of some hairy situations I don't think I would have survived without him.

Approaching the table, I find it cluttered with papers and utensils and mugics. He continues writing down something – it looks like a letter – as he dips his quill into his ink bottle.

"I see you're awake?" he says. I take a seat in the empty chair.

"Guess so," I answer. "So what happened?"

Vidav stops writing. I feel he didn't expect that. He looks at me.

"You don't remember?" he asks. Sure enough his face says he's surprised.

I shake my head. "No. Does it have something to do with this mud all over my clothes?"

"I'm assuming," he says.

I send a risen brow to him."You're assuming what?"

"That you would remember why you were passed out in the middle of the street," he hints.

"Middle of the street –" My memory jogs.

There's this one Chaotic player I know named Casey Lazarri. He's an OverWorld player like me; I use Danians every now and then though. Of all the players I've met in Chaotic, he has to be one of the most annoying ones yet. I met him through a drome match, and it was one of the most aching experiences ever. Whenever we weren't blasting each other or throwing fists he'd taunt me and it bugged the code of out me.

But he's got skills. Even though he was more busy chatting, he knows how to play. We were pretty even and we both came down to having one last creature. I was using Drabe and he had Frafdo. He had the upper hand with his flight. I'm a bad aim so I couldn't shoot him down. That was until he flirted at me. I lost it, and before he could deliver the final blow I shot him right in the groin. He took a plunge and coded when he impacted.

Ever since then I run into him occasionally. I happened to just today, if it hasn't already passed. I was trying to sneak a scan of this rare battle gear they were shipping somewhere. But they were in boxes so I couldn't scan them. Well, one of the guys loading them onto a wagon dropped a box and they spilled all over the ground. I couldn't believe my luck. Just as I was about to scan one of them, Casey appeared from out of nowhere and scared me. I dropped my scanner and it caught the attention of everyone on the street. I lost my opportunity to scan one of the most rarest battle gears in Chaotic. I chased after him, and just when I had him I hit a rushing cart. I must have landed in a mud puddle when I fell.

I look back up at Vidav after having my head toward the table. He's still looking at me.

"Oh, yeah," I say.

"You remember now?" he asks me. I straighten myself in my seat.

"Yeah, I was chasing some boy I know after he cost me one of the rarest battle gears ever," I answer.

"Is that so?" he says as he resumes his writing. "Well that is interesting..."

I roll my eyes. "Don't get me started."

"Are you feeling better?" he asks me.

"Yeah I'm fine," I assure him. "So how did you find me?"

Vidav rolls up his sleeves. "I just happened to find you during a small trip to a shop. It was a good thing I found you."

I face the table again and fold my arms. "I know." He's right. What, with a place like Kiru. It's nowhere close to UnderWorld City but there's still a bunch of scumbags here. Most of them hide in the shadows and take anything that isn't nailed down before slithering back into the darkness. Including people. I once heard some OverWorlders held a Chaotic player hostage for some crazy demand they made to a Codemaster through his scanner. I never heard the end of that story though, if it's true.

After a moment of silence between us, I remember something and turn to Vidav, who holds his paper up and blows over the ink.

"By the way, where's my jacket at?" I request.

"Oh I had it cleaned by a friend for you," he replies. "It should be dried by now however. If you wish to retrieve it, head outside and knock on the third door to your right. And yes, I already told her about you."

"Huh," I say as I stand up. "Thanks. I'll go get it now."

I walk around the table and make my way over to the door. Well, the door is actually just a frame with a white cloth over it. Some of the older buildings in Kiru were built like that, and some creatures throw sheets over their doors to keep the heat or cold air in, or out.

"Oh, Sierra?" Vidav calls me just as I grab the cloth. I turn my head to him. He rises from his chair. "I would like to ask something before you leave?"

"What is it?" I say.

"I was trying to buy something back when I found you, as I said, but I never managed to get it. I'm going to have to ask someone else for it, another friend of mine who leaves near Lake Morn." He looks back at me with a smile. "Would you care to join me?"

I think about it for a second. "Well what time is it?"

"It's only early into the afternoon," he answers. Other than the rare battle gear scan, which happened by chance, I don't have anything else to do in Chaotic today. And I doubt anyone's home yet. And I don't have any friends I see in actual person anymore.

I shrug my shoulders. "Sure." It looks like I'll be taking a trip outside the city, something I haven't done in a while.

: )

After picking up my jacket and zipping it up to my neck (I can at least hide the filth on my shirt), me and Vidav head to Lake Morn. Being pretty far away to reach on foot, we use this little trick I don't think many players have caught onto yet. Basically, if you port somewhere else in Perim and you're holding onto another person it'll take them with you. I don't know if that works for porting from Perim to Chaotic. But something deep inside warns me not to try.

When we arrive, we find ourselves in the middle of a downpour. We both put our hoods up as the shower beats down on us. I notice Vidav looking around as we stand here in a clearing. I hope he knows where he's going. I've had the scan for Lake Morn for a couple months now, but I've never used it in a match before. And I never actually came here to get it; I got it off a trade with a friend.

"You know where we're going?" I ask him.

"Yes, don't worry, I just haven't been here for some time now and I need to remember everything again," he explains.

He looks forward and I do the same, squinting my eyes. Through the trees I see... more trees. I hear footsteps and I see Vidav on the move. I'm assuming he found the way to go and I follow him quietly as we begin maneuvering through the trees.

After traveling for a bit we see something up ahead. It looks like a house. It sits along the back of a smaller clearing. I look up at Vidav, who's still focusing forward.

"That it?" I ask him as I point at the house.

"Yes it is," he answers.

I look forward as we get closer to the house.

"So what's this creature's name, anyway?" I ask him again.

: )

"It is nice to see you again, Garv," Vidav says as we stand before the house's open door, where its owner, Garv, faces us. He's this walrus creature with a black tattoo along his shoulder. Around his neck is a necklace laced in smooth stones.

"It is," Garv agrees. "What brings you so far out here today?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow something of yours, if you possess it?" Vidav tells him.

"I have no problem with that. Please come in, but be quiet," Garv says.

"Why's that?" I ask him.

Garv turns to me. "I'm currently caring for a creature and he needs as much rest as he can get. So please, keep your voices down,"

Garv steps aside to let us in. Vidav shows his gratitude to Garv as he enters the house. I enter after him, thanking Garv like Vidav did as I put my hood down.

When I enter the house I find it dark – only kept lit by the windows and a fireplace in the back. Bookshelves line most of the walls and there's all sorts of jars and boxes and plants and stones and countless other types of things Garv must have pulled from the very landscape around him.

Vidav and Garv walk toward the fireplace, where Vidav takes a seat at a couch. Garv places his palms on a table cluttered with jars and vials and bowls and he starts sorting through everything. They converse about something I tune out, though it's probably about whatever Vidav came here to borrow.

I amble about the room as I gaze at the books on the shelves. I read their covers even though my knowledge of Perimian text doesn't go any farther than a few simple words... I suck at learning new languages. I move on to a row of plants. These ones have grown so large their vines have clung to the wall and trail along where it and the ceiling meet.

After that comes a nightstand and a bed. There's a lump under the blanket. I become stunned as I realize I'm right in front of the guy Garv told me to keep quiet for. Listening closely, I can hear him snore and moan and sniffle. He's sick, and he sounds like he's got it pretty bad. I can see his head poking out of the covers, standing out easily with his blue fur against the tan blanket and pillow he's resting with. The creature has the head of a saber tooth tiger and he has these huge fang – tusk things sticking out of his mouth.

I try to remember if I've seen him from anywhere. He doesn't ring a bell.

I back away from him as softly as possible. I'm about to turn around when I bump into somebody. I tremble backwards as I look up. In front of me is Vidav, his hands behind his back like he normally does when he's standing. We look at each other for a moment before I look around him and no longer see Garv at the table. I check the rest of the house and I don't see him.

"Where did Garv go?" I ask Vidav at a low volume as I turn to him.

"He went outside real quick," he answers, keeping his voice small like mine. He looks around me and looks at Smildon. I turn and around and focus on him too.

"You know who that is?" I ask him.

"I believe so," Vidav says as he pauses. "If memory serves, that is Smildon."

Even with learning this creature's name, I don't remember him at all. I've probably just never heard of him. "Does he live in the city?" If he does, I've surely never seen him before. He has to be an OverWorlder though, judging by the way he looks. If you stick around them long enough, you can tell what Tribe a creature's from. Well, save the obvious ones.

"Oh no," Vidav says. "Smildon dwells in the depths of Prexxor Chasm. Or at least, what is left of it."

"I heard it's halfway back to normal," I inform him. I've never been to Prexxor either, but this one player I trade with sometimes has taken a few scan-quests there. "So, what's his story?"

"From what I have heard, he has an... interesting lore," Vidav begins. He's going into his storytelling phase, I can tell by how he just said that. Not that it bothers me or anything.

"How does it go?" I ask.

He leans over to me a bit. "His mother was an assassin from an independent village in the wastelands. She was hired by their Tribunal to kill the guilty who'd escaped from their courts innocent. She always did she was told, killing her targets mercilessly. That was, until the tribunal assigned her the task of killing a close relative of hers, one she held dearly to her heart."

"What happened?"

"She refused. Knowing what the Tribunal would do to her, she told her relative to go into hiding before leaving the village in the dead of night. The tribunal sent other assassins out to kill her, though she managed to evade them. She wandered the lands until she found Prexxor Chasm. She hopped into the depths in search of a new life, despite the dangers. And in time, she ran into Smildon's father."

I pause. "What about him?"

"Smildon's father was different from the other mindless beasts of Prexxor. He was more intelligent than most. When he found Smildon's mother he fell in love with her and followed her around from cover. One day she pounced him and he asked her not to fight. From there, they became allies. And to the luck of Smildon's father, she fell in love with him, too. They became a feared duo of killers as they fought to survive together."

"And then they had Smildon?" I jump in. It's obvious what happened next.

"Yes. The two rose their son in the safety of a hidden den, keeping away Prexxorians who especially hunted for younglings. It is said that rarely ever did a creature escape their home if they tried to get in. Smildon's parents both taught him their skills and he turned out to be what he is now."

It seems like there's more to this story. "Where are his parents?"

"Ah, yes. When Smildon was older, about your age, the Tribunal's assassins finally caught up with his mother. They tried to kill them, but failed. Knowing they'd return, Smildon told his parents to find a new home, stating he'd stay there as they didn't know he was his mother's child. They ran off in the night, to where only Smildon may know."

Looking over the story, true or not, I can't help but feel bad for this Smildon. I might not know him, nor can I relate to what happened to his parents with mine, but it must have been hard to let go like that. If I were in his shoes, I might have thought the same way. We might have held them off for now, the Tribunal, but we knew they'd be back – probably in greater numbers. Actually, once I think about it, I feel as if they might have also considered going down with a fight. I've heard countless stories of Perimians doing that. But I guess they didn't think it was worth it.

"Well what's Smildon like now?" I ask Vidav as I fold my arms.

Before he opens his mouth we hear the door. We turn and find Garv entering from outside with a bag in his hands. He closes the door and walks toward the table near the fireplace that's started to fizzle out.

Vidav looks over at me. "I'll continue this after I'm done here," he promises. He walks over to Garv.

"Okay," I say as I watch him approach the table.

I turn back to Smildon and just stare at him, replaying Vidav's story in my head, now stuck there. If this Tribunal exists, I've never heard of it. I should have asked Vidav if he knew it – well maybe not, I think he would have mentioned if it exists. And I don't recall ever hearing about rogue, independent settlements across the wastelands.

I feel like sneaking a scan since he's not going anywhere, or going for my throat. I pull out my scanner and point it at him. Then it hits me – it's not a good idea to scan a sick creature. I remember spectating a drome match between this chubby boy and this redhead. One of them used Tangath Toborn when he came down with something a while back. I didn't see any fresh scans of him in trading for nearly a month.

Still, I just feel like holding onto one. I click my button and cyan light escapes from the scanner's eye. It shines upon Smildon as his card appears on my screen. When it's finished, I look at his splash art, then his stats and everything.

I'll probably use this to find a better scan somehow. Maybe trading (if I feel like being an ass) or through buying some cards back home. My brother might even have a scan lying around. For now though, I'm stuck in this dark house.

I suddenly hear a crack of lightning – I feel like we're going to be trapped in here for a while. But I think I know how to kill time if that's the case...


	4. Chase

I walk down the street alone through the silent city. It's nighttime here in Kiru, and things are quiet as usual. Well, at least in this area. This has been one of the most boring days in the city for me. Everybody was either too busy or away. Not even the people I don't want to see are around. I've explored this location hundreds of times before; nothing is new for me to see.

I descend down a few flights of stone stairs before stopping at the foot of one and taking a seat. I look up at the sky and find it crystal clear. Perim's skies are prettier than mine back home, not because I live next to the city – there's just so much more up there. I wonder where I'm at in the universe, if I even am in mine. Adam's gone on about it before but I never get what he's talking about. I passed astronomy with a sixty-six. My friend and I would goof off in there all the time.

I actually start to enjoy the silence for a moment as I get comfortable on these steps. I shouldn't get too cozy since I might pass out. And I don't know what I'll wake up to.

My head shoots up as I hear someone screaming. I scan my surroundings as I get up. It sounded like it belonged to a little kid. I hear it again; it's not a straight-up scream but it sounds like they're distressed. I've heard kids scream around here before but not this late.

Seeing as I have nothing else to do, I may as well check it out.

: )

I travel down another flight of stairs and reach the lower parts of the city. I've been following the kid's voice for a little bit now. You'd normally think people would be poking out their windows to learn what's happening, but not in Kiru. Maybe back home, but almost never here.

I hear someone else roaring with them. His deep, husky voice sounds so familiar but I can't put my finger on it. It's… unique. They're so close now, as if they're just over the next row of buildings…

I stop in my tracks. "Wait a minute, there's a shortcut around here," I remind myself.

There's an alley in between the connected homes. Surely enough it's right where I remember it – to the left of a vacant home with the windows boarded up. I pass through and to my hopes they sound much clearer now. I slow down as I reach other end, viewing the next street beyond. I grasp the edge of the closing structure and proceed to peek around it. I hear heavy breathing and running. One's of them is huge and his steps just shake the ground. Has to be the one with the gruffer voice.

Just as I poke my head out, they race by me. The first is a little girl that's somehow outrunning the creature right behind her. But I'm more focused on the creature. I can't see his face but the rest of him jogs my memory.

_"That does not give you a reason to touch the equipment!"_

_"What part of 'she was going to kill him' don't you get?"_

_"Were you listening when I explained how unstable those beams are? Of what can happen if there's even a small error? Of how much damage it can cause?"_

_"Well what I supposed to do, just let her kill him?"_

_"You could have done something different!"_

That's him, the same bear from the arsenal that night. The same one I tried to lend a hand to but ended up backing out. I had a feeling I'd run into him again.

I check the way they came and find no one there. I think I know where they're heading next if this girl knows how to evade trouble like the rest of us. Following behind them might backfire on me if she tricks him, and I don't want to step in just like that.

I turn around and sprint off.

I manage to catch up with them. Just as I hoped, the chase leads into a part of town with plenty of paths to take. With the cover I follow them from a close distance. The girl's trying to hide, but she can't shake the bear. I didn't think his creature would be so smart for being so bulky.

While crawling under a wagon blocking my path in an alley, it becomes silent. I freeze for a moment before slowly standing up and looking at the street ahead. I see a shadow cast along the ground and I take cover behind a barrel. I hear the bear's footsteps and his heavy breathing. I think the girl may have lost him.

I wait for him to pass. It sounds like he's getting up. From here I'll just hide in his shadow and see if anything else happens. Knowing that girl though, she probably would have ported home or something. Wait, wouldn't she had done that earlier?

I hear my scanner ring, just at the worst of times. It's in my jacket pocket and I race to shut it off. I find it and rush my finger over the button. Of course it's my brother calling.

Just before I press it I'm grabbed by my jacket. I drop my scanner and it keeps ringing. I find myself eye-to-eye with the bear. Something's different about him this time. Where an eyepatch once laid wrapped across his face is gone, exposing a hole in his head where an eye would be.

The bear growls lightly. "Have you been following me?" I shake my head sideways. His eyes narrow. "You remind me of someone I heard of once," he says. I know where he's going with this.

That night is just going to haunt me for ages. I sigh heavily.

"Alright I lied, I was following you, okay? It's just... well, one night I was sneaking around the arsenal and I overheard that conversation you had with Bodal," I unexpectedly see his eyes widen, "and I found you outside, upset. I wanted to help you but I didn't want to piss you off. I was following you because I was bored at first but then I realized it was you and... yeah."

His head lowers and I feel his hand shake. He drops me and I land on my rump. I look up at him, his head is down but not focused on me.

"You heard... everything?" he asks me. I nod as I remain on the ground. There is silence as it looks like he's about to cry. His sadness bursts into anger as a clawed finger points into my chest and his teeth clench. "I don't need help. And that never happened. Do you understand, human?"

I can tell he wants whatever happened buried. I agree with no hesitation as I get up and dust myself off. He stares off and it's silent again. I look behind me as I remember the little girl he was after.

"Are we allowed to talk about that girl?" I inquire. He growls.

"Little brat took my eyepatch when I was trying to get her off restricted grounds!" he answers, irritated. "I told her I wasn't going to kill her but she was speaking in a different language."

Different language? Most Chaotic players speak English, be it their first or second language, but there are a couple who don't speak it all. I've never seen that girl before though.

I feel bad for the bear, whose name I've yet to learn. Or I can't remember. He's still standing in front of me; I guess he gave up chasing her.

"Mind if I ask for your name?" I ask politely.

"What's it to you?" I say nothing back, but he caves in quickly for some reason. "Argh, Viqtarr."

Thinking about it now, there is a creature named Arias I know. Whenever I hear his name I often hear Viqatarr's too. Looking back at it now I think have seen them hanging out together in the shadier parts of town. Drinking buddies perhaps?

This is pretty uneventful. I still have nothing to do. Or wait, that Viqtarr probably still wants his eyepatch back. And I'm still feeling nosy about that talk he had with Bodal.

I hatch an idea and face him. "So, uh, I bet those eyepatches are pretty expensive," they are, I've seen the price tags on them before, "maybe I can help you?" I grab his attention. "I think I might know where that girl went if she's trying to lose you. Uh, did she drop her scanner?"

Viqtarr removes something from a pocket attached to his belt. Well what do you know, a scanner.

"I was trying to give this back to her," he explains. I grab my own scanner and find a text message from Adam. I open it and skim through it. He just sent me some info about a location.

"Well if she's smart like us she knows where to hide. I might know where she is. Care if I help?"

He takes some time to think about it, I can tell by his face. I just stand and wait, looking up at the sky. There's a shooting star up there. They're just as rare as they are on Earth.

"She'll probably listen to you rather than me," he says. "Fine, I'll give you a chance."

"Okay then," I say as I turn around and head for the streets. "Let's get going."

"Right," he agrees. We exit the alley and I take a left for the first spot I'm thinking of. "Oh, and –"We both stop and face each other. He doesn't seem so angry anymore. "Thank you."

I stare back blankly. I'm... kind of surprised by his answer. Like I was seeing it coming but didn't think he'd actually do it. I smile slightly. "No problem."


	5. Letter to a Friend

I step out onto the wet streets of the city. It's been storming its ass off since yesterday and it doesn't seem like it'll stop anytime soon. There's nowhere close to any many people as usual out here. Nobody wants to be out in this weather. I wouldn't be out here either, but I've been tasked with delivering something.

I put my hood up and take a right down the sidewalk. I look up at the sky as lightning flashes. The thunder follows along with it, roaring across the city. The skies are so dark that if I woke up right now I'd still think it was nighttime. It's not everyday that Kiru gets hit by stuff like this, but when it does it's ugly.

I reach into my jacket pocket and feel a piece of rolled-up paper. It's a letter, and it's what I'm supposed to be delivering to whoever it's for. When the guy gave it to me he never mentioned the receiver's name. Hell he said their name wasn't even on it, just came with an address to send it to. It must be pretty personal.

Whatever the case, I just want to get it delivered and head back to Chaotic. My friends and I are headed to the Beta dromes for tag team matches.

: )

I reach the museum before I stop under a tunnel. The rain has picked up since I stepped outside. It's so heavy now and sinking into my jacket. I'm afraid the letter will get wet. I guess I'll try and wait it out. Hopefully it'll calm down soon.

Speaking of the letter, I pull it out. It's still dry but the string keeping it from unraveling came undone. I sit down on the ground and begin tying it. But just as I put my fingers on it, my eyes catch part of the first line. I've learned a lot of Perimian recently, and I recognize a name – __Tom.__

It's definitely Tom Majors, it just has to be him. No creature would send letters to a human unless it was him, he's that significant. I know I shouldn't be reading it, but I feel so nosy. What could someone want to message Maxxor's little helper for? Well, I bet a lot of people would have a reason to, but I'm so curious…

You know what? Screw it. No one will know.

I remove the string from around the paper. I unroll the letter and cross my legs. It takes me some time to translate it, but I get through it without much trouble. The sentences are pretty small and uses up every last bit of space; it's a long letter on a tiny sheet of paper. The handwriting's pretty neat compared to most creatures here.

__For MajorTom.__

__I am not sure if you shall ever read this, but I can only try. I know you're fumed, angry and sobbing over what happened that evening on Broken Edge. I apologize for harming your friend, praying he will make a full recovery. I also apologize for never memorizing his name, it always slipped from my mind. Your other friend with the blonde hair and the rings said he survived and is receiving care in what your people call a hospital. We can both agree on being thankful for him evading death, and that brings me to why I am writing for you.__

__I know what creatures are saying, that I mauled him out of a deep hatred for humans. The evidence and a certain someone's story make it very believable. But I swear to you, they don't know what really happened. They don't believe in my views of you people, nor do they like it. When we split up in the woods in search of your scanner, your friend found me and quietly approached me from behind. I was too busy sniffing down a possible creature amongst us to recognize his presence. I have said it before that he is as quiet as a ghost when he walks, and you've seen him unintentionally spook me in the many days before this all happened. I am telling you, he did the same thing again when an uneasy feeling surged through me. I felt this way for this particular creature is sneaky, making the utmost of the very shade around him, perhaps you have heard of him before? Even the keenest of the OverWorlders and Mipedians have fallen to him. Our entire visit to the place tossed itself out the window in those moments, and you know what happened next.__

__I wish to convince you I'm telling the truth, Thomas. Why would I have grown closer with you if I despised all the humans like the rest? And I know people say it is just because the highest in OverWorld command are watching out for you. I admit to have been intolerant towards certain things in the past, but your kind is not one of them. I enjoy the company, of your friend joining us whenever you had the chance to stop by when I was free from duty. He is different from the others, more shyer but sweeter and open-minded. Such a mindset has never caught on here, not in my ranks. I longed for a companion like you and him, and I bet you have too at one time or another. I've done much to keep you away from harm, for you, your family and friends, and Maxxor.__

__I realize I'm straying from the true topic, but I have no means of erasing the writing above, and parchment is difficult to find.__

__They are all liars, I am certain. They have no clue and are just stretching their necks in to rub their hatred of your species into the wound. You have known me long enough, why would I do this to your friend with a dark motive like this? We both have seen how kind I have been to your other friends before, even if I was reluctant to speak with them at times. I just felt no comfort from those places, worried conversing with them too much would lead to one of them, or more, confronting me later that day. It is not good when they do that to me, and I cannot do very much in reaction without the fear of it becoming worse.__

__If you wish to hear me out, meet me outside on the Ancestor Wall by the gates within the next few days. I have been posted there for some time. Please think this through, Thomas, I beg of you.__

__Sincerely, you know who.__


	6. Can You Keep a Secret?

If there's one thing you should never do in Kiru, it's to get in trouble. Why am I saying this? I'm sprinting through tunnels underneath the city, chased by a squad of guards. And my friend has my scanner.

I don't know what they use these tunnels for. They're definitely not part of a sewage system – there's water, but it's clean. I never even knew Kiru had these. I don't know every last part of the city, but being here so long, I'm surprised I've never found it before. I just made a turn in the back of the city and found a huge manhole-like thing behind a building. If it weren't for me finding this place, they probably would have caught me.

They're still on my tail. The tunnel splits into multiple paths, but there's more than enough of them to cover them all. I just keep going straight forward, hoping there's no dead end. It becomes harder to see as the torches along the wall grow more sparse. I have a flashlight but I don't want to give myself away. The darkness might actually serve useful, maybe I can trick them?

I hear at least two pairs of legs splashing in the water behind me. If I just keep running they're going to catch up. I look around in search of something that can aid me. For some reason there's also a lot of junk down here. If I can find something like a table I could hide. Most of it's just smaller stuff though.

At a hard right up ahead I see a pile of crates. Some of them are missing their tops. This is what I'm looking for. I dash as quickly as my feet can carry me and hop into one. I still have enough distance between them to where they probably didn't see me climb in here. These guys will chase for hours, but they're not difficult to shake.

To my hopes, I hear them pass by. They continue down the tunnel without stopping. I sigh in relief. Now I have to go back the way I came. Knowing them, there's no chance of a guard being planted by the manhole. I step out of the crate and check to make sure nobody else is here... the coast is clear.

"Later," I tell them.

After retracing where I ran during the chase, I finally see moonlight shining from the ceiling up ahead. I've reached the manhole. I slow down a bit as I reach it. A ladder stands along the wall for people to climb out. I approach it and look up, seeing the nighttime sky of Perim.

Hopefully my friend is somewhere we could easily find each other at. I unintentionally handed my scanner to him because we were circling around Maxxor's castle aimlessly until we found this hole in the wall. It was small, but large enough to fit me. I took off my jacket, which had my scanner, and climbed inside. I reached the end, and all it led to was this room full of boxes. When I crawled back I was about to say something when the guards spotted us and we split. He took off with it. He probably got away though, having his scanner on him.

Whatever the case, I just want to head home. I grab the ladder and put my foot up. I start climbing up but I hear something. My head turns quickly to the left. A pair of copper eyes flicker in the dark. I recognize them – he must have heard what was going on and came to help. Of all the creatures in Kiru, it's him who shows up.

Before I can react, a blast of energy fires at me. It hits me in the chest hard, but I still maintain my grasp on the ladder. My energy just starts draining, I feel exhausted. My body just gives up and I fall into the water.

My hands break my plunge and I manage to hold myself up. I hear him walk up to me until I can see his black, clawed feet. I wait for whatever he's going to do next, I can't stop him. He crouches for a second as he lifts me up by my collar. But before I can see his face, my eyes become too heavy to keep open. I can hear him growl as my head grows fuzzy…

: )

I awake from this crazy dream, involving me in a blender, and find myself in a room. High upon the wall is a small window, letting in daylight. It's early morning now. Sitting up on what I realize is a bed, I look around and find nothing else inside. The door has no knob and there's a window on it too, but covered. Yep, this is a cell.

I wait in bed to see if anybody pops in. My clothes are still damp from the water in the tunnel. I feel groggy, but as time sluggishly progresses I'm wide awake. I start hearing footsteps and muffled chatter outside. They come and go until I hear a couple voices outside the door and they don't leave. After hearing in, one of them sounds familiar.

I hop out of bed and approach the door. I press my ear against it and hear the voice. It's definitely him again. I hear someone someone unlock the door and I back away, standing in the middle of the room. I watch as it opens and Attacat enters, the guy who shot me in the tunnels and brought me here. He's garbed in denser armor and a cape, the kind of stuff higher-ranked warriors wear. During the war with the M'arillians, he got a huge promotion. Last time I checked, he was Tactical Aide. Now it seems he's up in the ranks Tangath Toborn held.

He closes the door behind me. We just stare at each other. I don't wish to start; I'm not taking any chances with digging the hole I'm in any deeper.

"I'll make this simple. But first, you need to answer me," he inquires. He walks up to me and points a finger into my chest. "Did you tell anyone about it?"

I know where this is going. "About what?" I ask, just to be safe.

"You know what it is, Sierra. You saw everything while you were hiding in that box!" he answers, raising his voice. Somehow he knows my name. Probably heard about me from Vidav or something.

I have no clue how he knows about it – that I climbed into a box in search of a scan of this guy if memory serves – and ended up learning about this relationship he has with Aivenna.

"How do you...?" I ask. Attacat's eyes narrow.

"Let's just say a little birdie told me," he says. My only guess now is that somebody heard me talking to my friend over my scanner outside. "So, you haven't told anybody about it, have you?"

Aside from my pal, no. Well, as far as I'm aware. But I doubt he's even thought about it since then.

"There's only one other guy who knows. But his lips are sealed," I assure him. This probably won't work. I can tell by his face that he thinks I'm lying.

He stands erect and looks back at the door. It seems he is convinced after all. I fold my arms and watch him. His anger is melting away into something else.

"I wouldn't worry about it spreading from a Chaotic player. Not that you guys pay us much attention anyway," I say, trying to ease him. As interesting of a topic this relationship of his and Aivenna's is, it probably wouldn't get far. It would definitely be something among the crazy shippers, that's for sure.

Attacat looks back down at me. 

"Seldom do I show kindness towards humans," he tells me. "I'll make this simple. I've heard of you from a couple other OverWorlders. They say you're trustworthy, and I believe it. We both know what could happen if this ever reaches the ears of certain creatures. If it does... we have no idea what could possibly happen next. We're not willing to take a chance for a good reaction."

I get where he's going at. "So, you want me to keep... keeping you guys' relationship a secret?"

Attacat nods in confirmation. "I'm putting my trust in you. Can I trust you?"

Well this is unexpected. Of all the people I've thought of asking for my help, this guy certainly isn't in the top ten. He's not very far though. I've seen Attacat around a lot; he can be a stubborn creature. But sometimes he's clammy with doors wide open, like he is now. I can tell this love between him and Aivenna really means something to him. Plus I also don't have anything against him, other than him shooting me back in the tunnels.

I smile lightly. "Your secret's safe with me, Attacat, and my friend," I answer.

"Yes, and make sure your friend isn't going around flapping his lips either," he requests.

"Like I said, don't worry about him. He doesn't really talk to anybody else in Chaotic."

Attacat begins staring off again. I stand around quietly, waiting for him to tell me something again. Well now it looks like he's spacing out.

"So, what's going to happen to me?" I ask. He stares at me for a moment.

"I was about to bring that up," he says. "I wish to return the favor. We would keep you here for some time, but I have enough power to get you out. I was here to discuss what you've done... what did you do exactly?"

Wait, shouldn't he know this already? Didn't the guards fill him in? Maybe he just wants to hear my side of the story.

"Me and my friend found this hole in the wall outside Maxxor's Castle. We were checking it out when the guards spotted us. And we weren't looking for anything, I swear. We were just wandering around," I explain.

"So they chased you all the way into the old storage tunnels?" he clarifies.

"So that's what they are," I tell myself out loud. Attacat raises his thick brow at me.

"Yes. Another thing, you Chaotic players have the means to port back to your game. Why didn't you?" he questions. I'll probably get this question from anybody I tell this story to.

"Yeah, my friend has my jacket, which has my scanner in it. He didn't mean to, I told him to hold it and then the guards arrived. He panicked before we could really think everything out," I detail.

"I see," Attacat says. He hums as he scratches his chin. "So you were just on restricted grounds..."

That reminds me of something I wondered about early on into getting chased. "Yeah about that, aren't the grounds around the castle supposed to be free for anyone to walk on?" I break in.

"A sensitive shipment of... items were being brought into the castle. Intress ordered the grounds locked down and tripled security," he answers. Things like this have come up in the past. "Speaking of which, I have an idea. I can dismiss you with a false story. You just need to play along if the need arises."

"What is it?"

"I'm thinking I can simply say you were running an errand for a friend of mine personally, and that your friend was merely helping out. I'm sure no one will grow suspicious over a small case like yours."

"So you just want me to say I was just lending a hand?"

"Yes."

We shake hands on his idea. As soon as we're finished, he says that I'm free to go (for the playing along part) and begins escorting me out. He leads me, and a couple guards tagging along with him, down a large flight of stairs of the building we're in. I ask him where I'm at anyway and he tells me we're in the prison, but a part of it meant for minor affairs such as mine – or as what really happened, whatever. The steps are pretty big, obviously not meant for humans, so I kind of hop down them.

We reach the bottom floor and pass through some dim halls lit by these orb things. They must have been created by some muge, because they burn like some magic I've seen a few creatures craft in their paws, and hands. We stop by a door and he tells us to wait outside. He enters and doesn't close the door all the way behind him, so I listen in. I hear him tell our cover story and such to someone. That gets me thinking, who is this friend of Attacat's he's mentioning? If they even exist I'm guessing it's Aivenna or somebone.

When he's done, we continue moving. We eventually reach a pair of large doors in a foyer-like room. Two more guards stands on either side, their weapons up. When we come close enough, they move out of position and open them up for us. The guards who've been following us stop as Attacat gives a hand signal, likely meaning halt. Me and him exit the prison together.

I look back at him as he become levels with me. He's giving that face he did back in my cell.

"Thank you, human," he gratifies. I can't help but smile back.

"You're welcome," I say back to him.

: )

A lot just happened over the past few hours. I make my way into an alley and take a deep, long breath. What a morning. I reflect on the recent events for a few, feeling bad, lucky, and like crap. But it will go away as soon as I'm back with my Earth self.

After staring absently, I proceed to the city gates. Me and Simon agreed on meeting there if we're separated in cases like this. Knowing him he's probably still waiting for me. I can only imagine him now—passed out on the ground, snoring. He's likely worried sick, he takes the risk of getting coded more seriously, and it can make him skittish.

I give a last glance at the prison—really sucks to be someone like Attacat. He's probably not alone, Perim's chock full of rule breakers. Loyalty only goes so deep in this world.

I immerse myself within the citizens of Kiru, making my way there. A couple passing creatures I know say hello and I greet them back. Nobody comments on how messy I look though. Then again, the warriors often get dirty from all the things they do daily, and there's no running water in Perim yet.

After some calm strolling through the city, I reach the Ancestor Wall. I take the staircase leading up to look for Simon. Along the way I accidentally tried to call Simon, but then I remembered—_Oh right, my scanner's missing! Why did I even think I could do that?_

Speak of the devil—I find him shortly after reaching the top. He's on the ground, using his jacket as a blanket. He snores loudly as the other creatures pay him no mind. I find it a little hilarious, don't know why. Probably has to do with how embarrassing it looks for him. But I'm not going to let him make a fool of himself.

I approach him and snap my fingers in his face. He slowly returns to reality, and when he realizes I'm here he somewhat shoots up.

"Oh," he says, still processing everything as he clutches his head, "Hey. You're okay."

"Yeah," I say, stretching a hand out for him. He puts his jacket back on before grabbing it. I hoist him up and he dusts himself off. I look around, remembering there's people here. I made a promise, with Simon being an exception. Gossip spreads around Kiru pretty fast. I face Simon again as he wipes his glasses with a cloth.

"So what happened while we were separated?" he asked as he puts his cleaned glasses back on. I look around, remembering there's people here. I made a promise, with Simon being an exception. Gossip spreads around Kiru pretty fast, this isn't the place to discuss it. We both want to head back to Chaotic anyway after all this.

"Let's just head back and talk there," I suggest. Simon seems dumbfounded initially, but gets the hint that I wish to talk about whatever privately. He reaches for something in his back pocket. Removing it, he presents to me my scanner.

"You're gonna need this then," he says. I take it.

"Thanks," I thank him. I turn it on and select the Chaotic return option. "All right, you ready?"

"One sec," Simon pardons as he picks up his scanner off the stone floor. He presses a couple buttons. "Okay, now I'm ready."

We both port out, watching each other vanish in our own code. After such a long night, I'm going to order the largest chocolate shake possible when the bots come. After that, I'm probably heading home.


End file.
